IV Sticks And Stones
by Eternal Love Song
Summary: In Which, Loki learns how to be a monster and not hate yourself for it. (Follow-up to He Without Sin) (Sequel: Gathering Moss)


**A/N:** This is the fourth part of a series of stories. The reading order is as follows: I **Throwing Stones** , II **Blood From Stone** , III **He Without Sin** , IV **Sticks and Stones** , V **Gathering Moss**.

* * *

Loki woke up in his female form, feeling good for the first time in months. She was warm and rested and felt a certain measure of safety.

It had been so long, so very long, since she had gotten a chance to rest. Since she had gotten a chance to stop and breathe. Not since she had attempted to rest in a crater in space. Not since before she had fallen from the Bifrost. Not since before Thor's coronation. The farther back she stretched her memory, the longer she felt it had been since she'd truly rested. She had been tired for so long and she hadn't even realized how weary she was. Not since this moment where she was so content and could look back upon it all.

The bed was warm and soft, cool sheets resting lightly atop her breasts, strong male arms were wound tightly around her waist. Anthony's heavy breathing in her ear. Thor was somewhere nearby, she could feel his presence always reaching as it was, keeping the world on the precipice between the calm and the storm. Anthony's incorporeal sentinel was keeping watch over them, Loki knew, but she had long gotten used to the idea of being watched. In Asgard it was the all-seeing Heimdall, then again in Victor's castle with his cameras, and now here with Antony's servant.

Loki recalled Victor's talk of safety and wondered if this was what the man had meant. Safe as a forethought, rather than an afterthought as Loki was used to. Victor's castle was certainly a more defendable fortress than the Tower, but here, in this room at least, she could just... be. There was no Victor trying to study her every form and movement and word. There was no Amora still trying to find the cracks in the seams between the Asgardian that she had thought him to be and the Joutunn he really was. There was no Skurge to give him those distasteful, distrustful looks that expected betrayal at any moment.

And yet, the thought of Victor and his many proclamations that the castle was their home, it rang of truth. Truth and acceptance and even the safety that Victor wanted to so desperately force on them. It was a different type of safety than what she felt now. It was a matter of practicality in Victor's castle. A matter of physicality, in a way.

Anthony's presence was more than that. Anthony had barely blinked at her when she decided to come to bed as a woman. He didn't hesitate to touch Loki as either gender, didn't look at her as if she were wrong, as Thor sometimes did when he wasn't paying attention. Where Thor would stumble between the words 'brother' and 'sister' and get frustrated because one was wrong to say and the other felt wrong to Thor, Anthony could cheerfully call him Loki, or even Lunatic, as if the names meant no more than the body attached simply, talking to Loki and not Loki's body.

It was... good. Loki had never felt so free on Asgard. Loki didn't have to be wrong here. Loki practiced the womanly arts, Loki could be a woman. Loki needed to fight, Loki could be a warrior. Loki could be whatever was asked of her, had been before, but it was the first time that Loki could be whatever she wanted to be.

Loki was a God of Change. She was meant to be everything, anything. Asgard was never the place for her. Perhaps she was meant to be a God of Midgard.

She moved to sit up, fully opening her eyes and letting the sheets slide away from her body only to pause mid motion when she saw the figure standing at the end of her bed. Her breath caught in her throat, in fact, she thought that she might well have stopped breathing entirely for the shock of it. Anthony was still beside her, a blessing and curse, to at once know he was safe but also have him suffer under the penetrating gaze that she was focused on herself.

"All-father," Loki whispered, addressing the illusory imagine of Odin that stood before her. It had been months since she had slept somewhere that was not Victor's castle or one of her apartments, since she had remained somewhere unguarded by the wards he and Amora surrounded the castle with. It was too late to hide, if she had wanted to do so, so she squared her shoulders and met his gaze head on. Adapting an attitude of fearlessness that she often had to use to shroud herself on Asgard. She rose from the bed, summoning clothes to her as she did so, womanly robes in defiance of the All-father and his judgment of her.

This man had to mean nothing to her, if she were to continue on her chosen path. Not father. Not judge or jury. Not King. Without the first, she would not submit herself to the others, and if she was going to be a tool for someone, rather Thor than Odin. Thor at least loved Loki, wanted Loki, and not only for what Loki could do. (Even though he hadn't quite gotten to the point of loving Loki for what she was, instead of what she was to him.)

"Playing your tricks on Midgard now, Loki?"

"It is no trick!" Loki hissed at him. She glanced at the bed self consciously before striding out into the other room. Odin was a mere projection, there was nothing he could do to Anthony and she was certain the old man would follow her besides. Anthony had explained that others were not allowed up to the penthouse suite without permission, so she was safe enough. As soon as Odin appeared in the room, she leveled a heavy glare at him.

"What is this, then, Loki?" Odin questioned. "I have never known you to act without reason, so what reasons have you for your interlude here on Midgard."

"Interlude!" Loki repeated. "I am here cleaning up the mess that you have made! The Mad Titan comes, or have you forgotten?"

Odin watched him silently a moment. "By the look of it, I could tell no such thing."

"And you always were so quick to judge," Loki spat.

"I am not faulting you for resting, Loki. You have done much, I understand that you would be... weary. You have done much and I am proud of all that you have accomplished."

Loki felt something swell in her heart. She tried desperately to swallow around the lump in her throat, not to accept the rare praise that Odin was offering her, but it was a difficult thing.

"The warriors of Midgard have increased in strength, Thor has told me as much, and they were even able to come together to fight forces stronger than themselves."

"A force you sent," Loki interrupted in a small voice.

"A mistake I will admit to," Odin said, looking contrite. It had to be feigned. Loki had learned much about acting from Odin himself. A king had to be a good actor, to be what the people wanted. Loki also knew, however, that seeing a lie didn't always make it lose effectiveness. "I could not have expected that he would turn rogue and I am glad that you have rallied Midgard's forces so. You have done that which even Thor could not."

"You will not buy me with flattery," Loki replied.

"Flattery is born of lies," Odin told him. "Praise is forged of truth." Odin held Loki's gaze as he allowed his words to sink in. "You have done much for Midgard, Loki, I do not wish to deny that, but you must know this is not where you are needed. The final front will be on Asgard, as it is meant to be. We are the protectors of this realm. We are the stronger warriors. Asgard needs you so that we can be prepared, Loki."

"You only want me so that you can throw me away!" She growled. "So sick of trying to bring your pet monster to heel that you must toss it back where you found it! Well, I am not yours to throw away any longer, All-father! You have no rights to me."

"You are my son, Loki-"

"I was never your son!"

"And I want you home because it is where you belong," Odin finished. "I have never lied about your place. You were born to be a king, you have a duty to the nine realms, and you are my son. If you want to protect Midgard, you are better served returning to Asgard. If you are so very enamored with your mortal, bring him back with you! I want you to return to my side."

"You want me on Jotunheim!"

"What better way to stand beside me than as an equal?" Odin questioned. "A king in your own right, bringing to heel those that would rape and ravish what you love, what you strive to protect; doing so while standing in no one's shadow. A mage and king, as I am, free to use the full force of your godhood."

The temptation weaved into Odin's words was powerful. He was offering so much that Loki had wanted. So many things that Loki had needed. To stand as an equal, to be free to utilize the full force of her domain. To put the monsters in their place instead of being one.

But that thought alone still designated her the monster, didn't it? Turning against her own kind?

Her own kind...

Loki felt bruised, as if Odin had batted her around with a stick and pelted her pride with rocks. She shook her head, unable to answer. A combination of hope and revulsion roiled within her.

"Think on my words, Loki. I want you to come home and I know your mother would rather you were within reach than hidden away on this realm." Odin held Loki's gaze with one that was equal parts pleading and scolding, then the projection faded away.

* * *

Loki was in Tony's personal lab when he woke up and he could tell something was wrong immediately. He had given Loki (and Luna) access to all floors in the tower. Separately, since Jarvis didn't have enough reading on Loki or whatever 'magic' she gave off him to recognize the god. It wasn't as if the god couldn't become invisible and do whatever he wanted anyway, so Tony figured he might as well give Loki access.

She looked worse than she had the previous day. It had only been a week since the Svadilfari incident and Loki had just started to relax. Last night was the first that she had actually stayed through the night. Loki was fairly paranoid, he found. Not that Tony didn't understand why.

Loki was tracing weird patterns on the walls in a strange light, a red magpie sitting on one shoulder, while an imagine of a woman was standing on his other side.

"He wants you to come home," The magpie whispered in Loki's ear.

"I want you to come home," The woman countered.

"You are his son."

"You are my son, Loki!" The woman said in a pleading tone.

"Loki?" Tony called and she turned to face him with some surprise.

"Anthony," Loki greeted. The magpie flew off of her shoulder, diving head first into the red box (lies told to Loki). The woman moved toward the green box (truths Loki believes in), now coffin shaped, but didn't enter.

"What's with the..." Tony gestured to the room at large.

"Oh... I was..."

"Placing wards on your lab so that the All-father will not be able to look in," The woman answered. "Odin projected himself to Loki today and she is rather upset,"

"Stop that!" Loki objected. The woman gave Loki a stern and scolding look and Loki relented. "I did not mean to snap."

"Are you... apologizing to yourself right now?" Tony questioned. "And who even is that?"

"That is... my mother, Frigga." Loki explained.

"Don't you recall the portrait?" The woman asked.

"Oh! Yeah!" Tony exclaimed as he remembered the family portrait he'd seen of Loki and family.

Loki made a gesture and she took a few steps back into the coffin, which returned to the size of a small box. "I... wanted an opinion on... " Loki stopped and shook her head. "I'm placing wards on your lab and the penthouse. Similar protections exist around Victor's castle and my apartment in order to block Heimdall's sight and that of the All-father."

"What about a doll?"

"Not a doll," Loki corrected. "Heimdall. He is the watcher, Asgard's guardian. He sees all with very few exceptions. These wards are to block his sight. I am the only one with the power to hide from him. Because we are..." Loki shook her head again. "It matters not."

"Alright. This is a lot to take in first thing in the morning," Tony said.

"It is no longer morning," Loki corrected again.

"You know what I mean." Tony peered at Loki closely. She was so visibly tense that she almost looked like a different person. None of the times he had seen Loki wearing her female form had she been so worried. Luna had been loose and relaxed in every situation he'd seen her. In fact, Luna appeared to always be in control, powerful, almost more so than when male. Whenever Loki was female, she'd looked like she was free. Now she looked as Loki had during the faked invasion, overburdened and weary, almost sick in her own skin. "Hey," Tony said softly, pulling her close. "What's wrong?"

Loki's body didn't relax into his at all, remaining stiff in his arms. "It is nothing."

"Don't do that," Tony said. "I agreed to helping you manipulate all my friends, didn't I? You'd think that you could trust me a little after that."

Loki pushed herself out of his embrace. "It is not that," She said. "It is... the All-father was here!" She told him, the words leaving her in an abrupt rush that seemed to startle even her.

"What?"

"He can... Odin has command of powerful magic. From his throne he can see anything, everything in the nine realms, and he has the ability to send projections of himself. That is how he found me before... before I came here. I... I forgot... there are no wards guarding this place. He knew where to find me and he projected himself to... talk."

It was pretty easy to see how shaken up Loki was. Tony internally cursed Odin for screwing Loki up again when the god was just recovering from the shit storm that was Svadilfari, which had also been Odin's fault. Even Howard couldn't fuck someone up this bad, this quickly. "What did he say?"

"I don't know!" Loki cried, tossing her hands in the air. "Lies! Or half truths! Or... deceptions, all of it. It has to be. He didn't want me the first time, why would he want me now?" Loki was so clearly unsettled in her own skin. She paced, shifting to her male shape and back again, clearly uncomfortable in them both. She stopped to stare at her hands a moment as she whispered. "It is not fair. I had almost been able to forget. Why must he... Why must he?" She knocked the red box off of the table. Tony had used them enough finally remember which was which. Green was truth. Red was for the lies told to Loki. It was probably a bad sign that the box opened and a mirror slid out. Loki's lip trembled as she stared at her own reflection from it.

"Hey. Hey!" Tony called. "Loki, it's okay. Calm down. Would you feel better if we got out of here?"

"Yes," Loki said softly.

"Alright. Then we'll go," Tony told her. He held out a hand to her. "Okay?"

Loki closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay." She opened her eyes and took his hand, then they both disappeared as she teleported them elsewhere.

* * *

"What incompetence have you wrought now?" Doom snapped almost as soon as Loki and Tony arrived in Doom's castle. The man was lavishing in a throne, a small golden bird sized cage on a table to his left and a larger one at the bottom of the dais to his right. Tony would never understand the likes of Doom. Really, who sat in an empty room all by themselves doing nothing? In a throne no less.

"At least I'm not the creep sitting on a throne in a room all by himself," Tony whispered.

Loki was already stepping away from him, changing into his male form as he greeted the metal encased man. "There is no need to be rude, Victor."

"He brings you to me in such a state and you say there is no need to-"

"Oh hush up, Victor," Loki scolded. He shifted again into the form of Amora and then into the small body of Mystique, before immediately changing back into the body of the goddess. "You are making a fuss over nothing."

Watching Loki change form was as interesting as it was surreal. It was also unsettling to see Loki so discomforted in his own body, in any body it seemed, that he had to continually change forms.

"Nothing," Doom grumbled. He turned to face Tony, but he had no idea whether the mad man was glaring at him beneath that metal mask or not. Either way, Doom turned to face Loki quickly enough. "Come here."

"I do not come at your beck and call," Loki growled. The god was pacing now, but his trajectory changed be angled slightly toward Doom.

"I am well aware of you, Trickster." Doom stated firmly.

Loki stared at the other man a moment, before he jumped toward Doom, changing form as he did so. A large wolf landed at the bottom of the dais, placing its front paws on the steps but looking away from Doom.

One thing Tony admired about the man was his ability to handle Loki. Tony was only just getting a read on the god, but he still had no idea what to actually do with him. That was why, for once in his life, Tony decided to be silent and observe. He usually liked to take things apart by hand, but for Loki he would make the concession of actually reading the instructions first.

"Has Amora returned yet?" Loki questioned.

"Not since the battle," Doom answered. "That woman is as foolish as she is vain."

Loki let out a bark of laughter. "What do you expect? She has all the depth of lust and all the cling of devotion. We are gods, Victor; this is what it means to be a god."

"To be ruled by your base instincts?" Doom scoffed.

"Yes," Loki answered. "And to rule them in turn."

"And yet none of that explains why you have come to me too unsettled for your own skin," Doom said. "And too unsettled for Mystique's as well, it seemed."

"Victor," Loki growled in warning.

"So I shall assume the problems to be one in the same and deal with them all at once." The man made a hand gesture and a Doombot appeared from the walls, but Tony couldn't make out exactly from where. He couldn't tell the stone work from the seams of whatever hidden panels existed. Tony made a mental note to have Jarvis get him a blue print of this place. "Call our guest home."

"Stop placing yourself where you are not wanted!" Loki growled, moving farther up the dais. His fur was standing on end, making the wolf shaped god look completely menacing. Tony wished, not for the first time, that he could see what expression lay beneath that mask. He would give Stark Industries to see Doom's face completely fear struck. (Pepper would probably kill him if he did, but it would be so worth it!)

"Was it not you that said we were all monsters here?" Doom countered. "We already know the truth of you. It is only him that does not and you are the one that brought him here. You can just as easily take him away."

Loki only growled more, lunging at Doom.

"Enough!" Amora's voice echoed through the room.

Loki stopped just short of Doom's face, teeth gnashing viciously. He didn't turn to acknowledge the new arrival.

The goddess was looking over the room with a critical eye, walking towards them as if everything she saw was inherently owned by her. If Tony didn't know better, he'd swear that she was the royalty here, not Loki. "You called me here just to watch Loki bite your head off?"

"He would have done no such thing," Doom answered.

"Arrogance!" Loki growled, placing his paws on Doom's chest and pressing him into the back of the throne.

"Why are there cages everywhere?" Mystique questioned as she was carted into the room on the shoulders of a Doombot. At her entrance, all three turned to greet her. Amora with a smile, Doom with a slight nod, and Loki actually abandoned his wolf form to turn into a magpie and fly to her side, landing neatly on her shoulder.

"Why are you riding a Doombot?" Loki questioned in turn.

Mystique shrugged. "They're servants, aren't they? Why not?"

"They are not your play things," Doom said scoldingly.

"They're yours," Mystique rebutted. "And you're always saying you give your guest whatever they need."

"You hardly need-" Doom began, and that was when Tony decided that he was bored of just watching.

"Odin talked to Loki and he won't tell me why." Some people might feel bad being a grown man and having to tell on his boyfriend to other people to get what he wants. Tony just felt that he had a pretty good strategy in place. He was dealing with gods and super villains, he felt pretty justified no matter what action he took.

At his words, the three of them all turned to face Loki, who hid himself in Mystique's hair.

"If the All-father arrived here, we would know it," Amora replied. She tried to project an air of either confidence or anger but her voice sounded shaky and the worry wasn't quite hidden on her face.

"Astral projection?" Mystique said in confusion, clearly repeating Loki who couldn't be heard from his hiding spot. "He can do that?"

"The All-father can do much," Amora replied solemnly. "He is not the Ruler of the Nine Realms for nothing. He has his sight which is far spread, but Loki and I placed wards on every inch of this castle to keep him and others out."

"It was at my Tower," Tony explained.

"It's unlike Loki to stay anywhere without placing wards," Amora said.

"You must be a bad influence," Mystique added.

"Look, whatever your problem is, can we deal with it later?" Tony asked in irritation.

Amora looked to where Loki was hidden beneath Mystique's hair. "Loki doesn't seem very likely to tell us much of anything."

Tony slipped his phone out of his pocket. "Jarvis, was Loki's little chat with daddy dearest caught on the cameras?"

"I wondered when you would ask, Sir." Jarvis replied loud enough for the others to hear. "It has already been saved to your private servers."

"Awesome. I think a little show and tell is in order, don't you?"

"Anthony," Loki objected in a small voice.

Tony ignored him. Keeping quiet wasn't going to help Loki and Tony didn't have as much background on what Loki's been through as the others did. "Play the audio, Jarvis."

They were silent as the conversation between Loki and The All-father played out.

Tony was the first to break that silence. "I asked this before, but what is a Yoen?"

"Jotunn," Amora corrected. She looked uncomfortable and avoided looking at the rest of them as she spoke. "They're-"

"Monsters," Loki supplied. "The worst the nine realms has to offer."

"Frost giants," Doom corrected. "Enemies of Asgard."

"That is what I said!" Loki snapped.

"You should learn the truths of your god, Stark." Doom told him, not that the man spared him a glance. "Mystique, would you show him-"

"No!" Loki shouted, returning to his normal form as he stared pleadingly at Mystique. "Don't."

Mystique actually looked angry at this. "Why not?"

"It's-"

"Is it because of him?" Mystique shouted as she pointed at Tony. "Because you care about what some stupid human-"

"Hey! I haven't done anything here!" Tony objected.

"They never do," She shot back.

"Mystique," Amora said quietly, trying to calm the girl down. It had the opposite effect, however, as Mystique rounded on her.

"And you judge him, too, don't you?" She yelled. "Do you look at me and think less of me, too?"

"What?" Amora asked in genuine surprise.

"The similarities couldn't have escaped you." She gestured to her blue skin.

"That's not the same-"

"It's never the same to you gods!" Mystique practically screamed. "What makes what you think you're so special? So different? What gives you the right to-" She broke off her words with a feral growl.

"I've never said-"

"That's the problem! You've never said anything! You're supposed to be his friend and instead you're just another traitor!"

Tony took the opportunity to wrap his arms around Loki, who looked as if he might bolt at any moment. "Anthony," Loki whispered.

"I'm here," Tony promised.

"I'm not a traitor!" Amora's voice yelled in the background, but the two of them were ignoring the argument.

"You know," Tony began, "You were the one that told me I have a habit of befriending monsters. Whether or not you are one, I don't care either way. I just want to know everything."

"I can't-"

"Whoever named you the God of Lies was clearly mistaken," Tony said. "You are astoundingly bad at telling them."

"I am a lie," Loki countered.

Tony moved to stand in front of him, catching his eyes. "Prove it."

Loki held his gaze for a moment before he allowed his skin to change, pale flesh fading into blue, green eyes into red. He stood as if waiting for an execution sentence, but Tony just looked at him with intense interest. "Huh." He reached out and traced one of the lines that ran along Loki's arm, pausing when the god flinched and resuming when he didn't move further away. "I kind of wish I could take you back to bed and trace every one of these."

Loki's eyes widened. "You..." He shook his head. "Mortals are the most insane creatures in the nine realms," He said quietly.

"Silence!" Doom commanded. The background noise of Amora and Mystique's argument halted and they all turned to face the metal man. Loki still had a wary look on his face, Tony was suddenly very annoyed that the man was still seated a top that damn throne. "Rather than arguing with each other, perhaps it is time you actually spoke to the Trickster."

"Who made you boss," Tony grumbled, just to be contrary.

"No one stands above Doom in his own castle."

Amora and Loki both looked at the man as if they wanted to contest that, but decided not to. Amora's eyes slid over to Loki and she swallowed nervously. "Loki..."

"If you hate me, it is not required of you to say so," Loki cut her off.

"I don't hate you!" She said quickly. "This is just... I don't know what to think."

"You think that I do?" Loki replied.

"What's the big deal here?" Tony asked.

"I told you, Frost Giants are monsters," Loki answered.

"Enemies," Amora corrected. The fact that she thought that correction was better than the previous statement somehow and seemed to not notice the implications at all, told Tony a lot more about the situation than their actual words.

"What else does Asgard have against Loki?" Tony asked in irritation.

"His magic," Amora answered. "Asgard does not gladly suffer male mages. It is... beneath a warrior to fight with womanly means. Tricks and cunning are... frowned upon, with the exception of Odin, of course."

"Alright, I have to say this!" Tony exclaimed. "Asgard is full of idiots. On behalf of Earth, I declare that you don't ever have to go back. Back me up here, Doom."

"Yes," Doom agreed. "While Stark has no authority, I am King here. I have already declared that Latveria is your home. Asgard has already lost the both of you."

"Presumptuous," Loki said, changing back to his usual pale skinned appearance. The words were dismissive, but it was clear he was touched by them.

"I was banished from Asgard ages ago anyway," Amora shrugged.

"What for?" Tony questioned.

Amora waved his question off. "An incident involving Thor. It is of little importance."

Tony rather doubted that, but didn't question it.

"I believe there is more to be said," Doom hinted.

Loki took a deep breath. "Yes... Yes you are right." Loki looked to Tony and then smiled widely. "Why don't the two of you go play? Victor has several labs and I'm sure he has something that would interest you."

"No." The two mortals said at the same time.

"Yes," Loki's grin widened. She slipped into her female body as she walked up the stairs to the dais, standing beside the throne. "Dear Victor, you forget how this works." There was a flash of green magic, and then Tony and Doom found themselves in one of Doom's labs.

Tony swore. "What kind of father figure are you? How could you let her win like that?"

Doom turned to stare at him. Tony could feel it, like when Natasha was seconds away from killing him for some stupid joke he'd made. "What are you talking about Stark?"

"Don't pretend, I've got you guys figured out," Tony told him. "You have this weird ass family thing going on. You're clearly the father, Loki is the mother, Amora's like that weird aunt that flirts with you at reunions..."

"Do not project your fantasies unto me, Stark."

"What? I'm not projecting-"

"I do not wish to know if you think of the Trickster as your mother."

"Hold on! That is NOT what I said."

Doom had already turned away from the other man and acted as if he did not hear.

"Hey! No! Bad Doom. Don't ignore me."

"Doom does not wish to debate fantasy with you," Doom replied.

Tony wanted to strangle the man. Worse was that it might have been funny, if it wasn't at Tony's expense.

* * *

Loki turned to face Amora and Raven once he teleported Victor and Tony to one of the labs. He stayed near to the throne, one hand resting on the back of it. "Raven, are you afraid of the humans?"

"What?" Raven's eyes widened.

"I can't imagine that you would hate them so much if you did not also fear them," Loki told her.

"What does that have to do with-"

"I am not very fond of your hostility towards Anthony," Loki explained. "And your hostility towards Amora just now was rather ill placed."

"She-"

"Did nothing and while I appreciate your concern, I do not want you to mix your feelings with my own."

"Why are you upset with me?" Raven yelled. "She betrayed you!"

"She's done no such thing," Loki said quietly. "And I kept the truth from her. I won't begrudge her the time to process it."

"And besides," Amora interjected. "I already said that I don't hate Loki. I'm... surprised, but I'm not going to abandon him."

Raven snapped to face the goddess. "You called him a monster!"

"I am a monster," Loki replied.

"No!" She screamed. "Mutants are not monsters! Humans are the monster, not-"

"Raven," Loki raised his voice to interrupt her. "We are not talking about mutants. We are not talking about humans. There are no enemies among you now." Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath before speaking again. "Even if I am not a monster by birth... Even if that were true, I was raised to be a monster. Odin's monster. Asgard's monster. I am the father of chaos, the mother of monsters. I created the fastest steed, a perfect warhorse, for my father's pleasure. I created the fearsome wolf Fenrir to take the hands of his enemies, and then betrayed the beast by letting them chain it. I created the serpent Jormungandr to consume any and everything that stood in my father's path, then tricked it into trying to swallow its own tail when they thought it could no longer be controlled. I stole from my allies for him, spilled secrets for him, and deceived every being in Asgard by merely wearing this skin."

"I betrayed my brother because he made me wear a liar's skin and then I betrayed the man that I left him for," Raven said. "So am I a monster?"

"Yes," Loki told her. "But it is not because you are a mutant." He changed into jotunn form as he walked down the dais stairs toward her. "We are betrayers. You and I and Amora, as well. Even my Anthony betrayed his Avengers by the virtue of keeping our alliance a secret. We are the ones that lie and deceive and spill blood. We are made monsters."

"Loki," Amora said softly, reaching out to him.

"Odin promised me a chance to not be a monster," Loki said softly. "He promised me a chance to kill everything that I hate about myself."

"The jotunn's are monsters," Amora said. "They are bitter and angry and vicious, and maybe that is because of Odin, and maybe it's because they were always so, but I won't let you give yourself back to a man that makes monsters. Look what he turned Thor into! Look at what he made of Sif! He breaks things, Loki, until they fit his mold. If you return to him, you will be a monster forever more, but if you stay here there are... possibilities." Amora smiled. "Plus Mystique is going to explode in her own ignorance if you go."

"I am not-" Loki placed a hand over the blue girl's mouth, holding her silent.

"He told me I could stand beside him as an equal," Loki whispered.

"The All-father has no equals," Amora told him solemnly, meeting his eyes. "No sons and no queen, just tools that he can manipulate. One son to groom as a monster who slays, one son groomed to be the hero who rules, and one woman to soothe the hurts that he causes and give love where he has none to give. Remember, Loki, he banished Thor for a time, as well. He wants obedience and nothing more. He'll push until you break."

Loki took a deep breath. "You've been thinking about this, then. Since the day you left."

Amora looked away. "I was... hasty. Wrong," She told him. "It was just so much of a surprise, I didn't know what to think. But you are the most loyal friend that I have ever had, even after I tried to steal your brother and ignored you. You know what I've done to people. What I... do to them. We are different monsters in different skins."

"A House of Monsters, then," Loki declared.

"Yes." Amora leaned down so that she and Mystique were eye to eye. The girl was struggling to move Loki's hand away, but the god was too strong to budge. Once the mutant met her gaze, Amora spoke. "And you need to get over your own fear. Stop attacking everything you're afraid of."

Loki removed his hand so that she could answer and the girl immediately yelled, "I am not afraid of them. Why should I be? I'm better than they are! Stronger!"

"You are alone," Loki told her and the rest of Mystique's words were visibly caught her in her throat. "That's it, yes? That there are so many of them and so few of you. Magneto filled your mind with hot coals and now you burn without the safety net of your Brotherhood of Mutants. You have gods on your side and yet you still fear the fact that you are alone? You refuse the fact that you live with a mortal mad man, because he reminds you of the last man that you attached yourself to in order to escape your fear. Someone whose intimidating aura and ego both overfill a room."

"I'm not..." Raven tried to object, but her voice was quiet.

"You are," Amora told her. "If you are going to be afraid, you can't strike first. You end up with more enemies that way. If you are going to strike first, do not be afraid. Fear makes you reckless and wild. You need precision and you need to know who your enemies are. You left Magneto. You need to also leave his logic."

Raven was quietly avoiding the other woman's gaze as she nodded slightly. Loki rested his hand on her head. "You are alone as long as you remain in your mutants only battle. We are not mutants, Raven, and we cannot help you. But you do not have to be alone. We are here." Loki's hand slid down her arm to rest on her tracking bracelet. "You do not have to be alone and you do have to pick this fight with humans."

"It's not humans and mutants," Amora added. "You have us and we kill your enemies, whoever they are. Doom will kill your enemies," She added with a grin.

"He is rather good at that," Loki added. "If one cannot stop being a monster, best to learn how to not hate yourself for it."

Amora's hand brushed over his cheek and she smiled at him. "You are the God of Change, Loki. Nothing holds your mold for long."

Loki smiled in agreement.

* * *

When Loki went to finally fetch his mortals, he teleported into a corner of the room and watched them silently for a few minutes.

"Are you kidding, Jarvis would be ten times better than that!" Tony argued over one of the keyboards.

"I've yet to see you place a better tracker on him!" Doom snapped.

"Jarvis is in his phone. That's the best tracker there is," Tony countered.

"That will not help him if-"

"As endearing as this moment is," Loki interrupted them. "I was coming to release you both, but perhaps you'd like to continue giving each other tips on how to invade our privacy?"

"Hey! You can turn invisible and teleport, I put Jarvis in your phone. That's what I call even," Tony said as he walked over to Loki. "Besides, this guy has camera's everywhere!"

"As do you, mortal mine," Loki replied. "Jarvis is everywhere in your tower, after all. And everywhere else, I presume."

"Not everywhere," Doom replied defensively.

Loki sighed, but the exasperation was offset by the fond smile he wore. "I suppose I shall have to arrange more play dates for the two of you."

"Hey! We're grown men!" Tony objected. "They're science dates."

"You will still be playing."

"Doom refuses to date Iron Man," Doom grumbled.

"He has already courted the rest of the team," Loki pointed out. "You wouldn't want to be left out, would you?"

"What? I haven't-"

"You went on a double date with Amora, your captain, and Miss Potts, you've dined with Luna twice, and Doom crashed your date with Mystique," Loki listed.

Tony was quiet a moment as he thought on this. "Huh. What about that time we all had dinner here?"

Loki snorted. "That was hardly a date."

"Does Doom not get a say in this?" The man asked.

"Of course," Tony answered wittily. "Your country or mine?"

Tony would forever treasure the sight of Dr. Doom resting his head in his hands in exasperation. He mentally gave himself a gold star.

"Let us go before we bother him further," Loki said amiably. "You can work out the details of your date later."

"I'll call you," Tony promised. Then they teleported away.

* * *

Loki brought them back to the penthouse when he teleported them to the Tower. Tony wrapped his arms around him and Loki let himself relax a little.

"Feeling better at all?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Loki said softly.

Tony paused before speaking. "So... about what I said earlier... about your frosty form..." Loki's body stiffened in his arms, but he didn't pull away. "I'd still like to see, if you don't mind. Maybe map out the path of those markings."

Loki turned to face the mortal. "Why would you want to?"

"One, that form of yours is gorgeous. This form is delicious, your female form is stunning, and that other form is just begging to have my tongue all over it. Second, I already said that I wanted to take you apart. I want everything you have, Loki, blue form included."

Loki stared at him a moment before hesitatingly changing into his jotunn form. Tony's eyes raked over his as he took hold of hold hands.

"Come on. I need you naked and in my bed, now." Tony proclaimed.

Loki followed obediently as the mortal pulled him along, his incredulity gradually melting into a smile. This mortal may be the best thing in the entire nine realms and Loki decided then and there that he wasn't going to give him up for anything.

* * *

 **A/N:** The sequel to this will be called Gathering Moss.  
Coming Soon!


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